SAUGUS – The event didn’t start until 6 p.m. Friday, but that didn’t stop hordes of tweens, teens and twenty-somethings from lining up at the Square One Mall as early as Thursday afternoon to see Rob Pattinson’s alter ego, Edward from ‘Twilight.’Stephenie Meyers’ ‘Twilight’ fiction series caught worldwide attention during the waning days of the Harry Potter series. The four-volume series is based on a love story between Edward, who happens to be a vampire, and Bella, who is not. There are also werewolves, zombies, psychic connections, people hearing voices, life, death, a wedding and even a baby named Renesmee contained within the series.It is the love story, however, that won over fans like Meghan Loring and Erica Moore who drove from New Hampshire for the event sponsored by the trendy store Hot Topic.”I think it’s what every girl wants,” Moore said. “Yeah, they’re vampires and werewolves, but it’s the idea that someone could love you so much they’d do anything.”Loring and Moore, along with their friend Casey Souza, left New Hampshire at midnight Thursday to head to Saugus for Friday night’s event.”We didn’t expect to see people lined up,” Loring said. “We didn’t expect this.”Square One Mall Marketing Director Lauren Higginson said kids began lining up around 3 p.m. Thursday for a chance to buy a t-shirt and wristband that didn’t go on sale until Friday morning. Hot Topic sold a limited number of 500 t-shirts, which got buyers into the autograph session with Pattinson.Stephenie Corso and Kaitlyn Bear sported black t-shirts bearing Edward’s likeness, but they said they weren’t the right shirts. The pair drove down from Derry, New Hampshire Friday morning but when they arrived, the t-shirts that would have admitted them to the autograph session had long been sold out.The girls were not deterred and said they were happy enough to spend the day, along with a growing crowd of more than 100, waiting for the open question-and-answer period scheduled for 7:30 p.m.When asked what propelled them to make the trip, Corso laughed.”He’s hot,” she said referring to Pattinson.”I like the mystery of the books,” Bear said while shuffling a deck of cards. “You can’t not like it – if you read the books you can’t not like them.Square One Mall manager Susan Yee, along with Higginson, watched over the growing crowd with a combination of fascination and professionalism.Yee said if the noontime crowd time got any larger, those waiting would have to stand and be herded into an enclosed area. But, she added quickly, she was thrilled they were there.Organizers in San Francisco were forced to cancel a similar “Twilight” appearance last week after more than 3,000 fans rushed the mall to buy wristbands, leaving at least one girl injured.Yee said they learned from that event.”We really worked with the police and security and Hot Topics to make sure this would be a safe event,” she said.On Friday afternoon, those waiting were on their best behavior. Some had shopped, many were rereading Meyers’ books and others were playing games or chatting.”I thought (Loring) was so lame because she was reading this,” Moore said with Meyers’ fourth book “Breaking Dawn” in her hand. “Then I fell into it and they’re just so good.”Ashley Foley, a ninth grader from Melrose, agreed.”I just think they’re the best books, I can’t explain why,” she said. “I’m so excited about the movie. It’s midnight on a school night though – I’m working on getting my mom to let me go.”